The Field of the Invention
Implementations described herein relate generally to handling, coupling, and recovery devices for tubular members. In particular, implementations described herein relate to handling, coupling, and recovery devices for tubular members comprising a self-energizing gripping means.
Background
Oilfield, exploration, and other drilling technologies make extensive use of tubular members. For example, the process of drilling often involves handling, lifting, manipulating and otherwise using numerous pipes or rods that may be connected together to form a drill string, drill rod, fluid conduit, borehole casing, or other passageway. To move the pipes or other components into location, they are typically handled and lifted manually, by a machine, or a combination of the foregoing. In the case of manual lifting, for example and without limitation, the hoisting device can have a handle or the like for a user to grasp. In the case of machine lifting, for example and without limitation, the hoisting device can further comprise at least one of a threaded joint to mate with a threaded tubular member, a non-threaded flexible cable connection that can facilitate extended range machine lifting, or a drilling fluid supply connection having a bearing swivel configured for high-speed drilling rotation to support loads due to the hoisting device itself as well as the tubular members during addition or substraction from the drill string, and the like.
Machine facilitated lifting can occur either at the surface to add or subtract tubular members from a drill string or deep within a hole to recover lost tubular members. When machine facilitated lifting is uses to recover a tubular member from within a hole, pipe handling and recovery devices commonly employ threaded recovery taps. Threaded recovery taps can engage a threaded component by tapping or threading into the threaded section of the component. However, the tapping operation can be difficult and unreliable. In one instance, the gripping capability of the threaded recovery taps can depend on how many turns of thread tap into the broken rod and, additionally or alternatively, on the tap thread cutting depth. In another instance, the tap thread can be unable to accommodate tolerance extremes that may be present on drill rod inner diameters or worn outer diameters. In drilling applications, drill rod wear against the drill hole can be significant. In yet another instance, the threaded recovery tap connection can be unable to accommodate the change in component dimensions that can occur as a result of load response during pullback experienced during recovery operations.
Additionally, in some cases a pipe or other component may have been precision manufactured to satisfy very tight tolerances, to ensure optimal fatigue strength, a leak-free seal or the like. Consequently, the introduction of even very small impurities into or creating defects in the pipe or pipe threads may have detrimental effects to the threaded connection of a pipe, the contents carried within the pipe, and the like. An operator that places his or hand inside or on the pipe may introduce impurities from the operator's hand or glove, and such impurities can be undesirable for certain applications.
Accordingly, a need exists for improved handling and recovery devices for tubular members that provide reliable gripping regardless of operator position or applied lift and that reduces or eliminates damage to tubular members during the handling and/or recovery operation.